Device for folding tape for braiding



1951 R. c. GRISWOLD 2,564,895

DEVICE FOR FOLDING TAPE FOR BRAIDING Filed May 7, 1949 I 2204282308Roger G. 68111310030 1,

Patented Aug. 2 1 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR FOLDINGTAPE FOR BRAIDIN G Roger C. Griswold, Kingston, Mass.

Application May 7, 1949, Serial No. 91,925

3 Claims. 1

My invention is directed to improvements in a device for folding tape orstrip material for braiding. My invention relates more particularly tohand tools which are adapted to receive tape or strips of fabric wherebythe tape or strip is folded as it is drawn through the tube.

It is an object of my invention to provide a folding tool having a guidebar adjacent the large end into which the strip material is fed and toprovide means for adjusting the guide bar to take care of differentthicknesses of fabric.

Further objects and advantages of my improvements will be more readilyapparent from the following description of a preferred embodimentthereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings; in which Figure 1is a plan view of the folder and a strip being folded;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated 33 in Figure1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the plane indicated 44in Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is an end view of the folder.

My invention is directed to improvements in the tool or strip folderwhich is used for folding strips of cloth just prior to braiding of thestrips to make a braid commonly used in making braided rugs. The fabricstrip ill may be of various widths and thicknesses and is drawn throughthe folder [2 to make the folded strip [4. The folder I2 is preferablymade of metal having smooth finished surfaces, although it might beshaped from plastic. If made of metal, it can be stamped out from fiatmetal sheets and then formed to the desired shape,

As shown, the folder I2 is formed into a cone. The large open end Itreceives the strip of fabric and the folded fabric is pulled out fromthe small open end H3. The side edges 2i] of the folder l2 are curvedinwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, extending adjacent the center of thefolder near the small end, although, as shown in Fig. 4, the edge 22will be at an angle with respect to the center line of the folder. Thisshape results in turning the raw edges of the fabric strip inwardly.

It is desirable, in a folder of this kind, to provide a guide forholding the fabric strip in place as it enters the folder. I provide aguide bar 24 which is separate from the folder l2. The guide bar 24 hasthe curved portions 26 which rest in the slots 28. A plurality of suchslots are provided on each side of the folder so that the guide bar maybe adjusted for different thicknesses of the fabric strip. The ends 28of the guide bar 24 are turned upwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, and anelastic band 39 extends between the ends 28 and around the folder l2 tohold the guide bar in place.

In use, it is customary to provide three fabric strips and to have afolder on each strip. The folded strips are braided and from time totime the folders are pulled along the strips to make the folds. It willbe apparent that by moving the uide bar nearer the small end l8 of thefolder that the guide bar will be closer to the inner wall of the folderand thereby take care of thinner fabric strips.

I claim:

1. In a hand tool for folding fabric strip material used to make braidfor rugs or similar articles comprising a substantially conical memberhaving a large opening at one end into which the strip material is fedand a small opening at the other end from which the folded strip ispulled, said member having means within the member and adjacent thesmall end for turning the edges of the fabric strip inwardly as it isfolded and a curved guide bar adjacent the large end of the memberinwardly spaced from the inner wall thereof to define an arcuate openingthrough which the strip of material is fed, said guide bar beingseparate from said member and resilient means engaging said conicalmember and the ends of said guide bar for holding said guide bar infixed spaced relationship with respect to said conical member forfeeding strip material and means for adjusting said guide bar inposition longitudinally of said conical member for a different thicknessof material,

2. In a hand tool for folding fabric strip material used to make braidfor rugs or similar articles comprising a substantially conical memberhaving a large opening at one end into which the strip material is fedand a small opening at the other end from which the folded strip ispulled, said member having means within the member and adjacent thesmall end for turning the edges.

of the fabric strip inwardly as it is folded and a curved guide baradjacent the large end of the member inwardly spaced from the inner wallthereof to define an arcuate opening through which the strip of materialis fed, said member having a plurality of slots adjacent the large end,said guide bar adapted to be received in a pair of slots on oppositesides of the member and resilient means for adjustably fixing said guidebar in position.

3. In a hand tool for folding fabric strip material used to make braidfor rugs or similar articles comprising a substantially conical memberhaving a large opening at one end into which the strip material is fedand a small opening at the other end from which the folded strip ispulled, said member having means within the member and adjacent thesmall end for turning the edges of the fabric strip inwardly as it isfolded and a curved guide bar adjacent the large end of the memberinwardly spaced from the inner wall thereof to define an arcuate openingthrough which the strip of material is fed, and elastic means foradjustably holding said guided bar in fixedrelation with respect to saidmember.

ROGER C. GRISWOLD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 438,212 Wissler Oct. 14, 189v793,220 ONeill June 27, 1905 909,712 Tompkins Jan. 12, 1909 1,275,159 DeVoe Aug. 6, 1918 1,397,853 Bergen et a1. Nov. 22, 1921 2,430,463 GilbertNov. 11, 1947

